Locks of Love
by Phoenixfyretail
Summary: A suggestion that turns into a ritual, the eventually turns to habit. What will this do to impact the relationship between these two? Yuffentine.


Locks of Love

Vincent didn't know what to do in the current situation. Just a simple gesture, a suggestion almost, but he still didn't know how to turn her down or how to accept it. Yuffie had come to him, just after he had his hair dry from his shower, and had held out a comb. It was a simple gesture, but that was the problem. What was he supposed to do?

"Yuffie..." He began. And she seemed to snap, and she blurted out her plead so fast he had to stop and decipher what she had said. "Please Vincent. Let me comb it out. It's tangled. Please? I'll be gentle. Please?" He stared at her, and sighed. "All right." He turned his back to her. She squealed in excitement, and then calmed down considerably. She settled herself behind him, kneeling in a traditional wutainese position, and her slender fingers untucked his headband from his forehead, and she slid the red fabric from his head to her hands to his lap. This was so unlike her, to be so calm, quiet, and focused like this. He however, didn't say anything, just felt and listened for what she was going to do next. He felt her hands stroke down his long hair, and then the tug of a comb through the tangled ends.

I began untangling the knots in Vince's hair, and squealed in my mind, 'OH MY GAWD! HE LET ME COMB HIS HAIR! I thought I would have to tie him up to do it. Go, ninja, go!' But wow, did he ever have a lot of knots. Holy cow. I carefully worked my way up, careful to be gentle and to not pull, just like I said that I would. Vince's hair, wow. I giggled softly. It was as soft as it looked. Haha. I could tell that he had never really combed his hair, and I was really happy I could.

I felt the knots in my hair become smooth, and her gentle tugging on my head felt so incredibly soothing and calming. I heard her giggle behind me, and I made a mental note to ask her later. I was sitting on the floor rug in front of my couch, before the fire place, and the heat combined with the combing sensation was a deliriously good combo. I sighed, just audibly, and I felt her work the last set of knots smooth. Then she just combed the long length of my hair, and I closed my eyes again.

I began to just comb it, admiring the silky sheen in the low light of the fire. His hair was, dare I say it, so FREAKIN BEAUTIFUL. Now that it was combed out, it had a soft sheen, more red in the fire light, but I reckoned it would be more bluish-black in the daylight. After I made sure there was no knots, I gently played with a few strands of it, and he made no sign of protest, but I didn't push it. I backed away, and came up to sit next to him. I giggled when I saw his face. He was so blissful, and it made me smile seeing that. He opened his eyes and looked at me with his deep crimson eyes. "Hey Vinnie. Your hair is all pretty now." I giggled. He raised an eyebrow, "Thanks Yuffie." I giggled again. "Your welcome."

We sat in front of the fire for a while, or he did, and I just fiddled with my shirt sleeve, my shoulder length hair, anything. He simply sat calmly.

I sighed once again. I was still completely calm, still soothed from her combing my hair. It was such a relaxing thing, and dare I say, intimate. The next time she asks, maybe I'll let her do it again. And knowing her, she'll be bound to ask again. "Yuffie...why were you giggling earlier?" She glanced at me, and blushed. "Umm...your hair is as soft as it looks."

I raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. I simply turned back to the fire, and closed my eyes, resting against the couch behind me. I heard Yuffie yawn beside me, and then a gentle weight on my shoulder. I stiffened, and opened one eye, and then the other in surprise. Yuffie was leaning against my shoulder, and the girl was curled up, sound asleep. I hesitantly, very hesitantly, put my clawed arm around her waist, holding her close. She now used my chest as a pillow, and she cuddled further into my warmth. I sighed, and slowly drifted into slumber.

And that's why I never have to comb my hair. I really don't. Because Yuffie always does it for me. And so, that became a ritual. After I had taken a shower, or when I was sitting alone in front of the fire just relaxing, she would come down with the comb in her hands. She would then sit next to him, the comb in her lap, talking about something random. Normally it was about some prank she had pulled on Cid or the "Chocobo head" or some materia she had found. She would normally do this for about five minutes, with him listening with a very slight ghost of a grin, before he turned his back to her. And like she always did, she immediately calmed down, and gently removed his headband, letting it slide into his lap. He always grinned at that. This went on for years, and like always, she fell asleep leaning against him. And like always, he would fall asleep with her for a few hours, before he woke and put them both in their respective rooms. And each night, he would tuck Yuffie in, and hesitantly stroke her cheek, and once, he delicately kissed her forehead. He immediately left afterward, and he didn't see the smile that crossed Yuffie's very wide awake face.

But one night, that changed. Just after she had combed his hair, she leaned against him, and he put an arm loosely around her waist, but she didn't fall asleep. She stayed awake, nestling comfortably into his chest. "Yuffie?" He questioned after half an hour, when she was still awake, her long hair hanging down her back and laying over his hand. "Vincent... I have something I need to tell you." He didn't say anything. He just gently rubbed her back, and she sighed, blushing. "Vincent, over the past few years...I found that I had feelings deep in my heart, and even though I tried to tell myself you'll never feel the same, with you being in love with Lucrecia and all, I just wanted to tell you. I don't want to destroy our friendship because of this, so don't hate me or avoid me after this but..." She trailed off. He smiled slightly, and said calmly, "I'll never hate you Yuffie." She blushed and looked down. "Vince...I...I love you." His eyebrows just about touched the ceiling and his eyes went wider than normal. "Yuffie..." He didn't know what to say. He had noticed that over the past few months he too, had developed feeling for her as well, but he didn't know if should act on them or not, seeing as he was actually 63 years old, in a 27 year olds body.

He decided that since she knew and obviously didn't care, he decided to throw the whole age factor to the wind as well. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "Yuffie...who told you I could never love you because of Lucrecia?" She blushed insanely. "Ummm... No one!" She looked at anyone but him. "Then you should know. While Lucrecia will always be somewhere in my heart, I don't still love her. I love you Yuffie. Know that always." And with that, he threw caution to the wind and moved in, closing the gap he hasn't closed in so many years. He brushed his lips against hers so very delicately, almost as if he were afraid she might break, which was insane, seeing as to what she had been through in battles.

She gasped into his chaste kiss, and then moved upwards, winding her arms around his neck. She kissed him more firmly, throwing her leg up and over his hips, straddling him while she was at it. He wound his clawed arm around her waist, and his human hand around the back of her head, tangling in her long hair. He moved his lips against hers in a passionate kiss, before allowing them to both breathe for moment before diving in for another kiss. She kissed him back, and then they both broke apart, gazing into his crimson orbs for a moment. "Wows..." She muttered. He smiled gently.

"Yuffie..." He murmured, and he pulled her to him in a hug, and she willingly cuddled into him, burying her face into his warm chest. "Vinnie..." She smiled, petting his hair, which was hanging down his back. He ran his human hand through her hair and found it thicker than he thought it was. But that diet matter now, he had love again. True love. And that true love, was currently asleep on his chest, with a contented smile on her face. He kissed the top of her head before picking her up and walking upstairs to his, no their room, and laying her down gently. He tucked her before he laid down himself, spooning her, and falling into slumber with her. And for once, Vincent Valentine, actually smiled.


End file.
